June 25, 2018
Aerospace engineering senior Jonathan Markel is one of nine UT Austin students named a 2018-19 Brumley Next Generation Scholar (NGS) by the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law. The NGS program, launched in 2010, aims to provide undergraduate students with advanced research and mentorship opportunities bridging across a range of disciplines relating to international security and law.
Markel is pursuing an interdisciplinary certificate in public policy. Last fall, he participated in the Bill Archer Fellowship in Washington, D.C. where he worked full-time on security and emergency response in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.
“As a Brumley Next Generation Undergraduate Scholar I look forward to exploring the many issues that arise at the intersection of security, aerospace technology, and policy,” Markel said. “Space is critical to our national infrastructure and future security, and I look forward to studying challenges including but not limited to orbital domain awareness and international cooperation in space.”
Markel says the one-year program includes two key components, which are broken down into the fall and spring semesters. This fall, he will participate in a research training and professional development course to train students on designing research strategies and proposals, conducting policy analysis, and planning for the steps in their career development. The spring semester will involve working with other Next Generation Scholars on a collaborative policy research project and report.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the Strauss Center for this opportunity and I can’t wait to further delve into aerospace and policy this next year,” Markel said.
